


Bleeding Hearts

by PickyStoryFanatic



Category: Tokyo Ghoul, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Ghoul!Lance, Ghouls and their Humans, Kick the ass of sadness and despair guys, Not the happiest ending though, The gang to the rescue, happier ending!, its an angsty end, kind of, suicidal thought mentiond, the ending of the second chapter is happier than I left the first
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-03-15 16:49:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13617552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PickyStoryFanatic/pseuds/PickyStoryFanatic
Summary: Lance's secret finally comes out. His space friends help.





	1. Chapter 1

In the most recent battle, they had been surrounded and beaten. On the verge of being captured or killed, until Lance finally let loose. Bright silver-blue kagune wings arched from his back, crystals flew everywhere at the Galra, breaking their ranks. The cover fire gave the rest of the team enough time to hide, regroup and get a lion to them. In that time Lance took massive hits. A large chunk was shot from his stomach and one of his legs was massively injured. If he had been human he would have been dead in minutes. They all might have been. 

Now back on the castle ship. He fled to a cell, locked himself in, and refused to come out. They could guess why. 

“Why did you even sign up for the space program? To be stuffed into small quarters with humans?”

Lance sat in the cell, huddled in the corner. Closed in by the clear walls that even ghoul strength couldn't get through. 

“The rules in my home country were different. We have pills that allow us to eat human food. We can function fine. Still, it probably wasn't a good idea but… I wanted to see the stars. There just this overwhelming urge-”

Allura spoke up. “It might have been the Blue Lion. It was down on Earth and could have been calling to you subconsciously since you were a child.”

“I hope so. It was a pretty crazy idea.” Lance's voice was apathetic, had none of it's usual energy. “There was a part of me that thought, ‘What if I did become a great pilot? What if I showed that a ghoul could do it? Even with this body.’” He sighed. “I just wanted to be good.”

They were quiet.

“Do you have any more pills?”

His gaze fell to the side, at the floor. “It’s no use but yeah. They are up in my room. Only a few left. I haven't been using them as much recently… trying to save them for emergencies or something. Not that it's going to help.” Lance mumbled.

“Let's get the pills!” Hunk was already moving towards the door.

“No.” Pidge’s voice rang loud and clear, made Hunk stop and look.

She continued before they got the wrong idea. “Those pills work by reacting with enzymes and allow a ghoul body to uptake nutrients from human food. But ghouls have to eat _a lot_ of food for it to be effective. To replenish the amount of RC cells your body used to fight and heal, it won't be anywhere near enough for a few pills and all the food we could possibly shove into you. Right, Lance?”

His arms went up to cover his face, he nodded. “You’re right.”

“How long do you think you have?” Pidge asked. Lance shuddered.

“I'm surprised I can still even talk. If I was near any of you I’d… By tonight or tomorrow, I don't know if I'll be able to speak. I’ll just be-” he stopped, “feral.” Lance shook his head and twisted his fingers in his hair. “I won't let you see me like that.”

He said that last part quietly but they heard. Keith growled softly, “Don't you dare. You will keep yourself safe in there while we figure this out.”

“Hunk.” Shiro went to Hunk and said quietly in his ear, “We need you to stay here. Keep him talking.”

Hunks eyes were big but he nodded. “What are you guys going to do?”

Pidge was on-task. “Allura, we can synthesize the chemicals in those pills right?”

“We should be able to. We need to run a test to be sure.” Lance’s hands came down from his face. Even with his black eyes, they all saw his shock. The answer to his problems had been right there. Was it really that easy?

“How long will that take?”

“It depends on the chemical structures, but if it's an organic substance, maybe a week.”

Lance crumpled. They could have been so close.

Pidge didn't sound defeated. “Can I talk to you guys outside?” They left the cell but Hunk chose to remain with Lance.

Once outside, Keith asked, “What are you thinking, Pidge?” She had that look.

“I have an idea but Lance wouldn't want to hear it.”

 

\---------

Sometime later, Lance didn't know when. He was barely conscious. The world was swimming around him in a thick haze. Breathing was hard. But he kept it up because Hunk was talking. Babbling in that wonderful, kind, Hunk way.  He’d miss this.

Then there was a noise. Then a smell.

Oh, that smell.

He didn't register moving but suddenly there was a sweetness in his mouth and his body hummed happily.

He ate all there was, laid down, and finally passed into the black.

 

\---

There was the cold floor under him and with that came the realization he could feel his arms and legs, his fingers and toes. But that meant-

He bolted up, panicking. _Who did he eat?_

Hunk was there, unmoving.

Lance moved faster than a human could, his ghoul speed coming so naturally from the fresh meat heavy in his body.

“Hunk!” He slammed against the clear wall.

“Wah!” Hunk woke up. He was breathing and there was no blood on him. He looked whole. But still…

Lance slammed his hand on the ‘glass’. “What happened? Tell me!”

Hunk tried placating “Hey, buddy, it’s okay. We-”

“No, it’s not! _Who did I eat?”_ Hunk was shocked, by the tears and the anger. He had never seen Lance this mad.

Someone spoke up from the corner. Pidge. “There are no life-threatening injuries. They were under anesthesia during the procedure and immediately put into the healing pods. They should be out soon, if they aren't already, perfectly healed like it never even happened.”

Lance let out a growl, more animalistic than he would normally let loose. His words were basically a snarl. “It did happen, Pidge. It should never have-”

“What?! We should have let you die?!” Pidge shouted back.

“Guys.” Hunks hands were up, placating.

They stopped yelling at each other but still glared. For a moment, neither gave in.

Then Lance gave a last glare, looked away to the side, and wiped his chin. His anger disappeared and morphed into horror.

Red stains were on his hands. He backed away. Hunk and Pidge saw him panic.

“Lance,-” There was no anger in her voice now. He had started crying again.

Lance couldn't look at them. Just backed away, shaking, holding his hands up to his face. He choked out, “I never wanted this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't get enough of either Voltron or Tokyo Ghoul, and there certainly is not enough of it together.  
> Btw, I barely edited this so please tell me if there are errors. Editing will continue, but I wanted to post it.  
> Partially based on [Research and Smoothies ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4357784/chapters/9886277)because that fic is awesome!!!


	2. Learning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance learns more about being a ghoul but from a surprising source.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, been a long time, yeah? I had written more of this when I'd uploaded the first chapter, but it hadn't seemed to be ready. Now it is. It's happier than the first chapter, mostly.  
> The story of Keiths friend is based on this fic: [ Letting Someone In ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5670775/chapters/13063711)

The Paladins were sitting down around a table after finally getting Lance out of the cell. He had refused to look at Shiro or Keith, the donors, for awhile but now they were down to the business of questions and “bonding” according to Allura.

Keith had a lot of questions.

“So you’ve never eaten a human. You've never fought with your kagune. You only know enough about it to keep it hidden.” Keith was staring at Lance in shocked disbelief.

“Yes, I've lived as a human my whole life. The only time I've ever bit someone was Nick when we were ten and he was picking on my sister, but I barely broke skin. I've never eaten human flesh.” _Until today._ Lance put his head down on the table and covered his face with his arms.

Keith wasn't letting this go. “You’ve never had to fight for territory? Or scavenge for suicide victims or bodies in a morgue? Or buy other groceries around a bunch of butcher paper to not look suspicious?” His voice cracked as he asked.

They all looked at Keith. He seemed to know a lot about this or had thought about it a lot.

Lance looked mortified. “No, Mom is a great cook. Ask Hunk. He’s had her shrimp pasta. We go to the store to buy food to eat like everyone else.”

“You- Investigators?” Lance looked at him without understanding.

Keith stood up, knocked over his chair and put his palms on the table. “You and your family were never hunted? You didn't have Investigators, you didn't have to hide? You had humans over to your house for home-cooked meals? Human food has always tasted good to you?” Whatever emotion was running through Keith, it was strong. He seemed on the verge of freaking out.

Lance was starting to get mad. He stood up, too. “We’re not savages! My mom and dad and brothers and sisters all lived like humans, we went to the store for milk, rice, and ice cream and never laid a finger on a human or looked at them as food. We’re not animals! We are just people.”

Keith dropped his head and stared down at the table without seeing it with disbelief and what might be dawning horror. He grabbed his chair and sat, still staring at the table. Quiet.

Shiro changed the topic. “So your actions in that fight were untrained? Do you think you could fight like that again?”

Lance was still mad from facing down Keith and still standing. “Guys, I can't do anything ghoulish. I've never been able, I've never had to, I don't know anything about it!”

“So you won't try? It might save your ass and ours on another mission.” Count on Pidge to see the strategic angles.

Lance glared at them and spat out, “There’s nothing different about me. I’m a person, not an animal or weapon.”

Keith exploded, screamed and smashed his fists on the table. “Aaagh!” His yell was fierce and raging, a shocking change from the quiet horror he’d had a moment ago. “Enough. You’re not just human.” With surprise and speed on his side, he whirled around the table. Keith whipped out an ordinary but sharp knife, took Lance by the shoulder and drove the knife into his stomach.

Lance yelled and doubled over.

Chairs skittered across the room as the other Paladins came running. “What the hell, Keith?!” Hunk grabbed Keith and threw him back away from Lance.  

Keith was shoved back and landed on the table hard. He was not sorry, was actually furious. “He’s fine! Ghouls are too strong for human strength and regular metal- what would normally slice open a human does nothing.”

Lance was finally standing up straight, shocked and looking at his stomach. The knife had slashed a fairly large hole in the shirt.

Keith stalked over and lifted it to show them the cut shirt and the whole skin beneath. “You should learn to use it, Lance. It will save your life, maybe ours, and probably a mission. It's not so horrible. Don't waste it, use it.” The last part might have been nice, if he hadn’t practically spat it.

“You didn't have to stab him to prove your point, Keith.” Shiro was looking stern and called attention to Lance who was still shocked silent.

“It did the job, though, right?” Keith smarted back with a feral grin, still pissed.

Shiro shook his head. “It wasn't necessary.”

A bit of guilt finally flickered across Keith's face, and he looked away. “Maybe not.”

“Do you have something against ghouls, Keith?” Pidge threw at him.

Keith returned the glare, his rage was back. “No.”

“Then what else is there? What aren't you telling us?” Right to the point.

“Why’d you attack him then?” Hunk was pissed, a rare sight and he towered over Keith.

Keith assumed an angry defensive stance, arms crossed, gaze down and away. “I don't have anything against ghouls.” His face changed, eyes half closing. “I- One of my best friend's was a ghoul.”

“Did you go around stabbing him?” Lance spluttered.

Keith's face melted into a little smirk and other mixed emotions. “Sometimes.”

“Where is he now?” Hunk asked.

The smirk disappeared. “He’s dead.”

“I'm sorry.” Pidge offered.

Keith huffed. “I'm going for a walk.” Without looking at any of them, he disappeared through the door.

The rest looked to Shiro. Shiro returned their stares, deeply sad. “Before I knew Keith, he grew up… rough. He had a friend, they grew up together. From what I know they were _best_ friends and the boy's mom was really good to Keith, even though they were ghouls and he was human…” Shiro stopped. “Then they both died. Killed by the CCG, an organization that finds and eradicates ghouls. Regardless of how peacefully they live.”

He looked at Lance specifically. “I don't think he meant to scare you or hurt you. Just show you.”

Lance nodded and wasn't mad anymore. He’d heard the stories of how other countries handled ghouls. They had all sounded like horror stories, fiction. If what Keith had been asking, it'd sounded like he'd seen it first hand... “I get that. When was his friend killed?”

Shiro shrugged. “I think not too long before he joined the garrison. He hasn't had much time to think about it, but that’s how he grieves- he finds something to do.”

Lance looked towards the door.

 

\------

 

Lance found Keith in the room they all sometimes wander to.  It was dark and had a huge domed ceiling open to the stars. Keith was sprawled on a ledge looking up out into space.

“Hey.”

Keith looked over and then away. “Hey.”

Lance sat down.

Keith sat up and started talking. “I'm sorry I stabbed you. That was… unnecessary.”

“Eh, it’s okay.” Lance gestured to his chest, “I’m still in one piece apparently. You probably shouldn't go around stabbing people, though.”

“Yeah.” Man, Keith was down. Lance had never seen the guy so weary, so upset.

Lance tested the waters. “Would you mind telling me about your friend?”

For a long time, there was no sound. Lance figured he’d overstepped. “You don't have to, I’ll just-”

But Keith started. “His name was Hiroshi. He’d want to talk to you. Human food always tasted gross to him, but he kept trying. Except for coffee- coffee was always good. I’d secretly eat most of his food when we’d go out. He protected me a few times from kids or other ghouls. His mom was really nice.”

He stopped. Lance didn’t dare break the silence, instead just let it roll out of him, at its own pace. “His mom died first. Then it was just him and me.” Keith's voice was hollow. “He liked looking at food. Thought M&M’s were funny, because of their different colors. He would have loved growing up like you did.”

Keith focused on Lance. “What’s your favorite food?”

“Uh,” Lance was taken aback, surprised by the jump, “My favorite is my mom's shrimp pasta, and other seafood is good, too. Scallops are divine when made right. Mint chocolate chip ice cream with all the works. Hot fudge, sprinkles, a cherry.” Lance looked at the stars himself. “Strawberry shakes from the pier.”

They sat in silence at the empty black surrounding them, thinking of home.

It seems that's all Keith was going to say. Lance eventually worked up the courage. “So...You know a lot about ghouls. I don't. Wanna teach me a few things?”

Keith just stared at him with the wide-eyed look that Lance mildly hated because he had no idea what Keith was thinking. Usually. Now, Lance thought Keith might just be too sad and hollow to make any other kind of face.

The raven-haired boy looked away. “I don't know a lot. I'm not an expert. Do you really not know anything about your kagune or healing factor?”

Lance shook his head. “The pills and keeping my metabolism set to human food have always kept it almost non-existent. You already know more than me, so…”

Keith thought about. “Alright. I'll do it.”

“Really?” Lance perked up, surprised he’d actually said yes.

“Yeah.” Keith said morose, “I'm yelling at you to be helpful. I should be, too.”


End file.
